Ajahn (, , ; ) is a
Thai- and
Lao-derived term that translates as "professor" or "teacher". The term is in turn derived from the
Pali
Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...
word ''
ācariya'' and is a term of respect, similar in meaning to the Japanese ''
sensei
The term "先生", read in Chinese, in Japanese, in Korean, and in Vietnamese, is an honorific used in the Sinosphere. In Japanese, the term literally means "person born before another" or "one who comes before". It is generally used ...
''. It is used as a title of address for high school and university teachers, and for Buddhist monks who have passed ten ''
vassa'' – in other words those who have maintained their monastic precepts unbroken for a period of ten years. The term
Luang Por, "Venerable father", signifies an ajahn of acknowledged seniority in Thai Buddhism.
Buddhism
According to the ''
Vinaya
The Vinaya (Pali and Sanskrit: विनय) refers to numerous monastic rules and ethical precepts for fully ordained monks and nuns of Buddhist Sanghas (community of like-minded ''sramanas''). These sets of ethical rules and guidelines devel ...
,'' any properly ordained monk can become an ' after ten ''
vassa'' in the robes, thus a Thai monk becomes ''ajahn.''
A senior monk may bear the honorific title ''phra ajahn'' (,"venerable monk"), or in more informal situations, ''than ajahn'' (,"venerable monk").
Some famous ''ajahns'' are:
*
Ajahn Amaro
*
Ajahn Maha Boowa
*
Ajahn Brahm
*
Ajahn Chah
*
Ajahn Jayasāro
*
Ajahn Khemadhammo
*
Ajahn Lee
*
Ajahn Mun
*
Ajahn Pasanno
*
Ajahn Sao Kantasilo
*
Ajahn Sobin S. Namto
*
Ajahn Sucitto
*
Ajahn Sumedho
*
Ajahn Suwat Suvaco
*
Ajahn Thate
*
Ajahn Geoff
In Thai, such highly esteemed monks would rarely be called simply ''ajahn chah'', ''ajahn mun'', etc., as there are much more respectful ways for addressing or referring to them.
The term "Ajahn" is generally not formal enough to be used without the prefix "Pra" or "Tan" for monks when addressed by the laity, but this formality has been loosened when it comes to Western monks and
Theravada
''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or ''Dharma (Buddhi ...
monks well known outside Thailand.
See also
*
Thera
*
Achar
*
Bhante
*
Luang Por
*
Sayadaw
References
Thai Buddhist titles
{{Thailand-stub